Jun 27 Take the Leap: Leave the Damn Job

MY STORY & HOW YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN TOO

Do you go to your job day after day on total auto-pilot because it's what you are SUPPOSED to be doing? You may have your degree in that field or it simply pays the bills. Has the thought ever crossed your mind, "Why am I doing this? I am not happy."

If you have...

1. You are not alone

2. There is light at the end of the tunnel

3. You can do something about it, but you have to be ready to work for it

This was me for nearly 4 years. Constantly waiting. I was either waiting to be hired full time (to see if my own class would be better). Then once I had that full time teaching position I was waiting to see if it would get better. It didn't. I never shook the feeling that there was something else out there for me. It was a waiting game; I was NOT going to jump into something else without it feeling right.

It is wild through my instagram I realized my passion lies in fitness. I have always loved to motivate, lead and help others and for a long time I thought that could only be done through teaching. I knew long before my instagram that if I didn't get a PE teacher job I probably would be miserable teaching. I got certified, went on interviews and it just wasn't my path. Now that I am on the other side I am grateful that a PE job didn't work out. I think I needed those 2 years in the classroom to force myself to make a change. Before you go and say I hate kids or something, think again. If you followed along on my IG stories this year you know that my students were the only thing I looked forward to. It was the relationships with them that made me smile and happy. However, all the behind the scenes crap we HAD to do, being told how to do something with no choice or freedom, testing the kids left and right, or every dang standard they needed to master is what made me so unhappy. You can't beat a teacher's schedule, I mean come on. Off at 4, summers off and a ton of random holidays. But - June, July and August shouldn't be my only reasons to stay a teacher, ya know?! I could say the same for how much I cared about my students that is why I SHOULDN'T stay a teacher. They deserve someone who wants to be there and it isn't simply a job. Was I a terrible teacher? Lord I hope not. I still busted my ass to teach my students and do everything little thing that was required of me. It is a job where you have to be on ALL the time. Through my years teaching 5th grade I started to do the first thing that I think is crucial to someone finding their passion:

GET TO KNOW YOURSELF

I started by spending time reading books. They were about changing your career, life, choices and finding your passion. They all shared a similar 1st step. Take a step back and think about YOU. I made lists, created vision boards and started to ponder every idea (big and small) to what would help me start living my best, happiest life. I had to spend time reflecting on myself and really getting to know who I am and what I want. You can never move forward until you know who you are and what you want.

CONFIDE IN OTHERS

I could not do this without a support system. I did this in phases. The people closest to me knew I was not happy with my job. When it dawned on me what I thought I could do next I told my boyfriend first - saying it out loud to him in September made me more motivated to make it happen. Shortly after I told two of my best friends I have made via Instagram, Chelsea and Ashley. It took me a few months to feel things out and tell my family because I was nervous. This is not a small decision and I knew they would see it as a risk. My sister was first and then my parents. They knew I wanted to get into fitness and that I was so unhappy teaching but part of me wondered if they ever thought I would fully do it. Let me tell you it was not easy to tell them or for them to completely understand. My parents wanted me to be realistic and having a sister that is also a teacher it is easy to see a path I could take. I told them and bottom line is no matter how big the risk is they want me to smart about my choices and happy in whatever I do. Jess (previous WCW) is someone who has been an incredible friend and mentor through this process. I wrote about her before and how she was a teacher/principal and left it all for a career in fitness. She has been my guiding light through every step and I had a HUGE realization when she said to me you are doing all the things you love you are just in the wrong work setting (Teaching, leading, motivating, coaching, building relationships). Hallejuah! Finding someone who has "been there", especially as close as she was can help your nerves tremendously! One thing I am excited for is when things unfold for me I can't wait to prove to everyone that the reward was worth the risk!

WRITE IT DOWN

I invested in a Passion Planner. It helped keep me organized and on track of my end goal. Writing helps me, something about having the words on paper makes it more real. I wrote down any and every goal I had for certain time periods and I kept focused on them. No matter how big the dream or how small the goal I wrote it down and I would read them, over and over again.

DON'T FORCE IT

This is a big one. You cannot force what is next for you. You have to give it time. If I tried to leave after my first year of teaching I would be lost. I knew I wanted to but had no clue what was next. I was trusting myself and the process. I knew one day it would come, and I am SO happy I waited. When it comes to you, you will know. Overtime something just clicked for me and I just knew! How corny right? But it's true and ever since then I have not stopped working towards it.

MAKE THE CHOICE

No more thinking. No more wishing. Because I waited for the right time and thing I was ready to decide what was next. I made the choice. I contacted HR of my school district and found out all the things I needed to get done to not return to school next year. It was no longer an idea. I was acting on it and this is a BIG step. Stop talking and start acting on it to move forward.

TAKE THE LEAP

Stick it to The Man! Pluck up the courage, turn in your paperwork and get the hell out! Let me tell you the day I informed my school I was not coming back I was a. Nervous and b. SO FREAKIN EXCITED. I felt immense relief when I took that weight off my shoulder I had been carrying around. (FYI - I was hiding pretty much anything fitness from my job and coworkers the entire time I worked there, especially my IG.) I left the office feeling so damn liberated that day. I was officially ready for whatever was next and a new chapter.

BELIEVE IN IT

It is going to be scary as hell. I've said it multiple times already but you HAVE to trust that everything will work out in the end. As Jess told me, "You have to get comfortable with being terrified." Ever since she said that to me I haven't let it go. She also said if you are scared it probably means you are doing the right thing, and I know we have all seen those "if it scares you..." quotes everywhere! Believe in the process and more importantly believe in yourself. If you make the bold decision to do this I know you are also bold enough to make it work, no matter what. In the end I know it will not be the wrong decision because I know I will be happier, and that is the key to it all.

I am a worrywart. 100% Nervous Nelly about everything. So trust me when I say, if I can make this gigantic choice, this clean break and take the damn leap - so can you! If you want something bad enough you will make it a reality. If you are someone feeling like you need to get out of your job and chase your passion - you can do it.

Trust yourself. Trust the process. And enjoy the ride.

As for what's next for me?

I guess you'll have to wait and see ;) But I will say I am very excited and ready for whatever is ahead!

Head over to my Youtube Channel to check out me talking about my experience in more depth!